Hyundai Motor India plans launch of 2-3 new models every year till 2020

Hyundai Motor India plans launch of 2-3 new models every year till 2020

Hyundai Motor India plans to launch 2-3 new models every year till 2020 as a part of its efforts to further consolidate its position in the country. The auto major, which is the second largest car maker in India, eyes 1 per cent growth in its market share each year during the period.

Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation mobile app to activate UAN
One can now activate your universal account number (UAN) on phone through an app launched by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO). Once it gets activated, it will assist in accessing account from the comfort of mobile phone.The UAN is a 12-digit portable number allotted to each member that gives them control of their EPF account and minimizes the role of the employer in matters related to a member’s account. Experts say universal number is a big step towards shifting the EPF services to an online platform and making it more user-friendly.

Asian Paints setting up world’s largest plant in Karnataka
Chemicals major Asian Paints is setting up the world’s largest plant in Karnataka. The Mumbai-based paints company operates in 17 countries, with 23 plants and markets its products in 65 countries the world over. Laying the foundation for the plant, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told the company to provide more locals, especially its land losers by imparting required skills and training.”The fact that Asian Paints chose to set up its greenfield plant in our state testifies that we are most-industry friendly in the country,” he said.

China factory activities weakens further
Activity in Chinas’ factory sector unexpectedly shrank to a 6-1/2 year low, raising fears of a sharper slowdown in the world’s second-largest economy that could spell more turmoil for financial markets.

India, US, ink MoU on energy security and climate change
India and the United States have signed a significant MoU on energy security, climate change and clean energy which Secretary of State John Kerry said reflects the commitment of the two countries to make the Paris summit later this year a success.

First flights between Denmark and Iran to start in 2016
The first flights between Denmark and Iran will begin in March 2016, operated by Iranian airline Mahan Air, ending an eight-year suspension of direct flights between the capitals of the two.

Microsoft begins worldwide release of Offi ce 2016
Microsoft Corp said it has begun the worldwide roll-out of Office 2016, the latest addition to its cloud-based subscription service Office 365.Microsoft said Office 2016 brings new versions of desktop apps for Windows including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook and Access and allows people to collaborate and work together.

Who owns copyright for ‘Happy Birthday’ song?
A federal judge in the United States has ruled ‘Happy Birthday’ song in public domain. The music publishing company that has been collecting royalties on the song Happy Birthday To You for years does not hold a valid copyright on the lyrics to the tune that is one of the mostly widely sung in the world.

Unique method to curb credit card frauds
In a move to stem credit card frauds worldwide, a team of US researchers has developed an inexpensive, secure method to prevent mass credit card fraud using existing magnetic card readers called SafePay. It works by transforming disposable CC information to electrical current and driving a magnetic card chip to simulate the behaviour of a physical magnetic card. The key challenge today is that existing magnetic card readers use plain text to store confidential information which makes them vulnerable to an untrusted card reader or skimming device. “Because SafePay is backward compatible with existing magnetic card readers, it will greatly relieve the burden of merchants in replacing card readers and, at the same time, protect cardholders from mass data breaches” explained Yinzhi Cao, assistant professor at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Asia’s biggest vaccine maker to seek fast-track nod for dengue drug in India
Asia’s largest vaccine maker, Serum Institute of India, plans to file for fast-track approval to launch a dengue treatment in India. Serum bought exclusive rights from U.S. biotech Visterra to sell its innovative monoclonal antibody, as a treatment for dengue in the Indian subcontinent in a deal worth up to $39 million. Serum, owned by Cyrus Poonawalla, has sought the Indian government’s approval to import the antibody and conduct clinical trials in India, its Chief Executive Adar Poonawalla said in an interview.

RBI Deputy Governor called corporate leverage levels a ‘major concern’
Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor S.S. Mundra called levels of debt in the domestic corporate sector “a major concern”, while admonishing banks to clean up their bad loans more quickly. Mundra said leverage levels had risen very substantially in the last few years in the corporate world, calling it a concern that was also felt globally, at an event in Mumbai for chief financial officers. The RBI deputy governor also called on banks to move more quickly to recognize bad loans.

Apple plans steps to prevent future App Store attacks
Apple would make it easier for Chinese app developers to download its tools for building mobile apps in a bid to prevent further attacks on its App Store. In the wake of the first major breach on its outlet for distributing iPhone and iPad software, Apple will offer domestic downloads within China of its software for developing apps. The App Store had suffered its first large-scale breach. Unknown hackers infected legitimate programs by persuading app developers to download a tainted copy of the tool-kit. Chinese app developers have told Reuters they resorted to downloading the tainted software kit for developers from unofficial, third-party sources because of slow speeds downloading from Apple’s official servers.

BHEL to foray into defence manufacturing sector
Public sector power equipment maker BHEL is stepping up its foray into the defence manufacturing sector, which has been thrown open as part of the ‘Make in India’ campaign and is looking for hi-tech original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for partnership.The ‘ Make in India’ initiative in the defence sector is opening up large opportunities in naval, field guns and submarine segments and BHEL is actively pursuing these opportunities by partnering with global OEMs,” Bhel chairman and managing director B. Prasada Rao said at the 51st annual general meeting.